My breaths became noticeably shallower as the suspense built. When he stopped at the waistband of my shorts, I actually let out an embarrassing whimper. At the sound, Gage turned his head from where he’d been following the progress he made and met my pleading gaze.
A slow smile curved up the corners of his lips as he took in the state I was in. Seeing the man wearing the most sinfully wicked grin I’d ever seen made me shift on his lap restlessly. That wickedness ratched up his already incredible sex appeal to an impossible degree.
“Gage!” I gasped when I felt the steel rod under my ass.
“Can you smell her?” Gage asked Ry without taking his eyes from mine.
Ry hummed his agreement, but still, he buried his face in the juncture of my thighs and took a deep inhale, making my cheeks flame with a mixture of embarrassment and wanton lust. That movement was hot, I couldn’t deny it.
“I want to taste her,” Ry groaned, his voice muffled as he spoke into the fabric of my damp shorts. I had the feeling he was asking for permission and wouldn’t do anything without Gage’s explicit command. I knew from the beginning that the man had a dominant nature, and it seemed to extend to all aspects of his life.
“You will,” Gage assured Ry and me both, “but first,” he took his gaze away from me and looked out into the darkness. “There’s someone who needs that push.”
I followed the direction he was looking, squinting into the dark. Beyond the pool fence, there was a treeline that served as a barrier for the backyard. I could just barely make out a figure who stood leaning against one of the trees, a small red dot blazing in the night where Dante held a cigar to his lips.
Gage spoke into my ear, his voice low and husky. “He wants you, too, beautiful.” I swallowed at his words and thought of the gorgeous, troubled man. “What do you want to do?”
I knew it was my choice. Just like joining with these two men was completely my choice. Dante needed a push, Gage had already told me. I didn’t know his story, but I did know that he’d been hurt by someone close to him. It wasn’t difficult to guess what had happened based on his injuries, and just the thought of someone that he had loved and needed turning their back on him had my heart aching.
“I want to help him,” I whispered, surprised at the conviction I felt in my heart at my words.
“Then help him,” he replied, his arms loosening from around me. “But first…”
Before I could take another breath, my jaw was firmly gripped in a strong, calloused hand. Gage’s lips descended onto my own in a firm press that demanded immediate compliance. With a gasp, I opened for him, not even considering resistance.
Gage’s tongue swept over my own, tasting, devouring, claiming every inch of my mouth with a hunger I hadn’t expected. It left me breathless and aching for more. It was hard, fast, and brief, but I was panting as he lifted his head, breaking our connection.
“Give him the push he needs, Parker. If anyone can do it, I believe you can.” His eyes studied me for a moment as if reading me for any signs that he might have been mistaken. Seemingly satisfied that he was right about me, he gave me a gentle nudge, helping me to stand, and Ry, still kneeling on the ground at our feet, gripped my knees to help my unsteady legs find balance.
“He doesn’t think anyone will want him, pretty girl. Just know that it goes beyond the scars,” Ry said solemnly. I nodded and gave a sad smile. I understood.
“Tomorrow night, you’re in our bed.” Gage’s words were a promise and threat rolled into one, and I shivered as I walked away, heading toward the pool gate and toward the other man they wanted me to become involved with. Life was strange.
I knewDante was too proud to run away. Once he realized that I was heading in his direction, his entire body stiffened, though. In the absence of flight, his fight response was kicking in.
I watched as he tossed the rest of his cigar to the ground and stubbed it out with his titanium prosthetic foot. By the time I reached him, his entire posture was closed off, and he was radiating fuck-off vibes that would have a lesser woman crawlingaway with her tail between her legs. Dante didn’t need yet another woman to turn away from him, though. He needed one who would fight him and fightforhim.
“Hey,” I called out softly, ignoring the death glare he was shooting at me. “It’s a beautiful night.”
“What the fuck do you want?”
I smiled up at him. “Do you want to go for a walk? I haven’t seen much of the ranch other than the cabin and the main house.”
He waved a hand behind him. “Fields. Animals. Shit everywhere. That’s the ranch.”
I nodded. “Yeah, animals tend to do that, I hear. So,” I stepped closer and leaned against the closest tree, betting that his pride would keep him from stepping away even though I was so close that I could feel his body heat radiating off him. “What’s your favorite animal? I saw you playing with the goats the other morning. Is that your favorite? Do you name them?”
I had thought he looked angry before, but by the time I was done talking, Dante’s face was so enraged, it looked as if he could have easily wrapped a palm around my throat and squeezed until there wasn’t a breath of air left in my lungs. I just smiled bigger, even as my heart thudded like mad inside my chest.
He leaned in so close our noses were practically touching as he snarled in my face. “I don’t know what thefuckyou think you are trying to do, but let me make myself clear… Fuck. Off. Bitch.”
I tried to hold back the wince at the vehemence behind his words, but I knew I failed. “I just wanted to make you see that not all women-” It was the absolute wrong thing to say.
He cut me off abruptly. I hadn’t actually expected violence from him, but I supposed everyone had their breaking point, and I had obviously pushed him past his. I’d known going into this that women were his hot button.
His hand was around my throat in an instant, and my back was shoved hard against the tree, the thick bark rough against my skin where the thin tank top didn’t protect me. I didn’t attempt to remove his hand or defend myself, though I had the training to do so. I needed him to get out the pain and anger he was feeling.
“You don’t know anything,” he growled into my face. “The only thing women see is perfection and dollar signs. When either of those things disappear, so do they.”
